In general, cats live longer than most dogs. An average life span might be 12 to 14 years, with some cats reaching 20 or more. A cat’s longevity depends on whether or not it lives indoors or is allowed outdoors (outdoor cats live an average of eight years), genetics, feeding, environment, veterinary care and some other factors. The general consensus is that at about age seven a cat can be considered “middle-aged”, and at age 10 and beyond – old.

It was once generally thought that one year in the life of the cat was equivalent to seven years of a human life. A new scale of equivalents is now recognized: after the first two years, the cat’s life proceeds more slowly in relation to human life and each feline year is approximately four human years. Use the following chart as a rough guide to determine your cat’s age (the cat’s age is first, the equivalent human years next).